Titans soccer finds scoring touch in last two games

Rattle off 15 goals over two games

The Crested Butte Titans soccer team charged through two games last week, scoring 15 goals total and improving their overall record to 4-2-2.
Slight confusion by coach Than Acuff had the Titans matched up against the JV team from Hotchkiss on Thursday, September 29.
Nevertheless, the Titans varsity used the game as a primer for an upcoming league showdown with the Bayfield Wolverines two days later.
After a slow opening eight minutes by the Titans against Hotchkiss, they woke up and started playing the game the way they know how.
The Titans maintained possession and worked on a variety of team attacks in the offensive third to generate a flurry of scoring chances.
The Titans efforts paid off as they netted seven goals over the course of the game and held the Hotchkiss JV scoreless for the 7-0 shutout win.
Crested Butte continued the offensive onslaught on Saturday, October 1 when they hosted Bayfield.
Bayfield brings a well-coached team to the league every season but has gone through some serious ups and downs over the past three years.
With a host of underclassmen and first-time players on the roster this year, Bayfield is in the formative years of what could be a return to what was.
“It was an unusual Bayfield team that showed up,” says coach Mike Martin. “They had a young team but should be strong in the future.”
Heading into the game Saturday, the Titan coaches pressed the team to set the tone early and continue working on team build-up on offense.
“We had focused on a team attack in the offensive third all week,” says Martin.
The Titans took the directive to the limit, coming out in the first 20 minutes firing on all pistons.
Senior Collin Dill drained a shot from 25 yards out in the third minute of play. Four minutes later, sophomore Prawit Durgan chipped a pass over Bayfield’s back four to senior Luis Aguirre, who cracked a shot far post for a 2-0 Titans’ lead.
Junior Jesse Reeves settled an errant goal kick from Bayfield a minute later to net his first league goal, and then scored again two minutes later off an assist from Dill for a 4-0 Crested Butte lead.
The Titans settled down for a stretch to continue work on possession until junior Dylan Curtiss broke through and fed Aguirre in front of Bayfield’s net for his second goal of the day and a 5-0 Titans lead 20 minutes into the game.
Senior Ben Reaman set up sophomore Montana Wiggins on a short corner kick play for Wiggins’ first varsity goal of his career and Aguirre completed his hat trick in the 28th minute off an assist from freshman Sam Reaman as the Titans took a 7-0 lead into halftime.
With the game well in hand, the Titans settled back into more possession play in an effort to work on a team build-up into the offensive third of the field.
Senior Nolan Blunck and junior Cal Fenerty directed play from the center back position but the Titans’ attack stalled when turning into the final third.
They broke through one last time as Aguirre took the ball to the end line and found Dill at the top of the 18 for Dill’s second strike of the game, sealing the 8-0 win.
“There were some positive moments but we’re still lacking that drive to goal in the offensive third as a team,” says Martin. “Intensity-wise, they definitely came out strong. They scored five goals in the first 18 minutes, which is awesome to see.”
Aguirre led the team with three goals and two assists just a day after his 18th birthday.
The Titans hit the road this week to face league opponents Center on Thursday, October 6 and Alamosa on Saturday, October 8.
“Center can surprise you but we commonly come away with the win,” says Martin. “We’re concerned about Alamosa. They’re a well-coached team that can take the points away from you. We’re hoping October break doesn’t come too soon for the Titans.”